Bee Gees singer Robin Gibb had bowel surgery 18 months ago but a tumour was found and he was diagnosed with cancer of the colon and the liver. PHOTO: FILE

BELFAST:

Robin Gibb’s Bee Gee’s brother Barry has been singing to the cancer-battling star as the family tries to help him come out of a coma, his wife said. Gibb, 62, has contracted pneumonia and is in a coma, his website confirmed on April 14. He is in a hospital in West London.

The British star’s wife Dwina told her local weekly newspaper that the singer’s three children have been playing music to their father to “try and bring him back to us. His brother Barry, his wife Linda and son Stephen came over from America. Barry was singing to him. Thousands of people are saying prayers every day,” she told the Impartial Reporter newspaper, based in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland.

The Bee Gees — twins Robin and the late Maurice Gibb and their elder brother Barry, 65 — are among the biggest-selling groups of all time. Robin had bowel surgery 18 months ago but a tumour was found and he was diagnosed with cancer of the colon and the liver. Back in February, Gibb said he had made a “spectacular” recovery from his treatment, sparking hopes that his cancer was in remission.

Gibb was too ill to attend last week’s premiere of his first classical work, “The Titanic Requiem”, composed with his son Robin-John to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the ship’s sinking. Gibb had been due to perform in person the song “Don’t Cry Alone” at the central London premiere.His wife said she had taken some inspiration from the song.

Gibb’s website is down due to the volume of traffic. Visitors are directed to his Facebook page, where fans have been leaving messages of support. Dwina said she was “very grateful” for the good wishes.